Benzodiazepines! Flashcards
Benzos popped up in the…
1950’s
Benzos are used to treat: (5)
Anxiety Alcohol withdrawal Status epilepticus Dystonias Pre-anesthetic
Benzos possess this quality, useful in status epilepticus
Anti-convulsant
The anticonvulsant activity is RT
Ability of drug to inhibit cell firing by altering flow of CHLORIDE through cell membrane.
Anxiolytic action believed to be RT enhancing effect of:
GABA in brain (GABA agonist)
Preferable to barbs because:
Greater margin of safety
Less likely to interact w/ other drugs
Less likely to cause physical dependence than barbiturates
T/F Benzodiazepine can cross the placenta and appear in breast milk.
TRUE
Relatively safe group BUT
Big potential for tolerance, dependence & abuse
Prototype for Benzos?
Diazepam! Valium. Mamas little helper.
Specific benzos different from eachother in…
Pharmacokinetic profile
All benzos are available…
PO
T/F most benzos are rapidly absorbed.
TRUE
Peak levels of benzos occur in..
1/2-6 hours
Half lifes range (pretty big!) depending on drug
3-100 hours
The drugs with longer have-lives have…
Active Metabolites
T/F Benzos are highly protein bound.
TRUE
Besides PO Benzos are available:
IM or IV
Benzos typically produce ___ side effects.
CNS - drowsiness, dizziness, lethargy, slurred speech, weakness & ataxia
Besides CNS side effects, benzos are frequently associated with these seemingly opposite effects
Dysphoria, irritability, agitation
The most MAJOR side effect of benzos:
Dependence
T/F Benzos have significant drug interactions.
FALSE - mainly other CNS depressants
CNS interactions common with:
Alcohol Phenothiazines Cyclics MAOI's Antihistamine
5 benzos that don’t end with pam. (ACCMT)
alprazolam .75-3 clorazepate 15-60 chlordiazepoxide 15-100 midazolam ---- triazolam 0.125-0.5
Chlordiazepoxide is the benzo of choice in treating:
Alcohol Withdrawal (aka Librium)
The pams!! (CDFLOT)
clonazepam 8-10 diazepam 5-60 flurazepam 15-30 lorazepam 1-10 oxazepam 30-60 temazepam 15-30
Of the pam’s this one should be given at bedtime:
flurazepam 15-30
Of the non-pams this one is used as an anesthetic! Memory loss for duration
midazolam —
This pam can cause a countereffect (agitation) in elderly
lorazepam 1-10
Of the non-pams this one should also be given at bedtime:
triazolam 0.125-0.5
Longest half life? (100 hour pam)
flurazepam 15-30
Diazepam has a half life of?
90 hours (3 days)
